Projections for the Electricity Market in Panama

The National Interconnected System Expansion Plan for the period 2017-2031 will be put to public consultation until August 31.

The Expansion Plan for the 2017-2031 National Interconnected System was prepared by Etesa and will be available for public consultation until August 31.

From the summary of the document:

Demand projections indicate that consumption of electricity in the National Interconnected System could present growth rates, in the order of 5.5 to 6.1% per year, for the fifteen years of projection, while the maximum power demanded by the system could grow between 5.2 and 5.5%, from pessimistic socioeconomic situations to an optimistic option, respectively.

Construction projects for water treatment plants, and extensions to the Metro and the airport, are works that will considerably increase demand for electricity in the coming years.

According to the National Interconnected System Plan 2017-2031, construction of several water purification plants in different areas around the country will increase demand for electricity, as they are "... installations with intensive consumption of electricity, which require a timely forecast of the power required."

A loan from the Development Bank of Latin America will finance improvements to the power transmission capacity of the national grid.

From a statement issued by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF):

CAF -the development bank of Latin American is providing funding in the amount of $100 million to the Electricity Transmission Company SA (ETESA) to contribute to efforts to increase the power transmission capacity of the National Interconnected System (SIN) of Panama.